Full of Beans Dog Training

10/11/2024

Every time I spend time with a client who is most of the way through my reactivity rehabilitation bootcamp program, I feel so incredibly fulfilled and validated in choosing this business over corporate life. Every time I have a "last one to one" in the program, every time that I get to love on your dogs who I couldn't so much as look at before, every time I get a photo update - that is priceless to me.

Listening to people who have grown so much within themselves and who have nurtured the relationship they have with their dogs is the best positive reinforcement I can get. Having past clients reach out and say hi and hearing updates is heart warming. I might not advertise much (yet), and there's always things to improve in my process and methods, but just knowing that I've made a difference that's so long-lasting, and so huge - wow.

Autumn makes me nostalgic and is a good time to look back at the year, with gratitude and warmth. To all the folks who have reached out, who have graduated, who have been open and leaned into the challenges of working with your reactive dogs, who have trusted the process, who never gave up - thank you. You make my heart glow.

So if you're ever shy about reaching out to past coaches, trainers, therapists, etc., who have made a huge difference for you - don't let it hold you back from saying a kind word in a text, saying hi, and sending update photos. Trust me, the coaches that genuinely make a difference and care - we remember you fondly, and we love those texts and photos.

Photo: throwback to Azula when she was a baby, around this time of year two years ago.

07/31/2024

Share a photo of your dogs being whacky doofers!

06/25/2024

Azula and I had an amazing time at the Red River Ex with Manitoba Working & Herding Association’s Meet the Breeds exhibit! It was so much fun to teach people about this spicy working breed and introduce a sport/work bred dog. My favorite part is always going to be teaching families with kidlets how to approach these dogs and how to give treats. My friend Angela Michelle captured some awesome shots while she volunteered with me for a day. ❤️

We did around 25 protection sport routine demonstrations (dramatized so folks could understand what was going on) with 3-5 bites each - so on average Azula did 100 bites over the course of 10 days! She was absolutely exhausted by the end, but bouncing back quickly.

There’s nothing like having your canine partner with you when out and about. Azula had a bit of anxiety around some interactions, but overall I couldn’t be more proud.

Now to recover a bit and then we’re off to a seminar this weekend!

06/15/2024

Azula and I are at the Red River Ex with Manitoba Working & Herding Association's Meet the Breeds exhibit! Representing the Belgian Malinois, Azula had a fantastic first day yesterday. Come check out a bite work demo today between 3pm and 6pm! We will be doing a few throughout our shift. We're in the Market building!

06/13/2024

Do you let your dogs up on furniture? Why or why not? 🤔

06/10/2024

A good coach will give you permission to pick your battles. A great coach will help you learn which ones to pick.

05/29/2024

What's the worst thing that would happen if you paused and paid attention to your dog just existing?

Let go of control.

When going on a walk, pause and watch them interact with the world without directing them for a few minutes.

Breathe out anxiety, breathe in calm.

When having people over, pause and watch what your dog does.

Cultivate patience, for yourself and your dog.

When you're feeling yourself winding up because your dog doesn't do a perfect sit, or perfect heel, or perfect anything - ask yourself where your high expectations are coming from. Are you embarrassed in front of others? Why?

You are your dog's biggest cheerleader. You are their guardian. You are their coach. Teach them with kindness, and let them communicate to you when something is too much.

Pause and watch your dog. You'll find joy and delight in doing that, and you will learn so much more.

05/24/2024

My office supervisors are sleeping in the job again. 🙄

05/15/2024

You're stranded on an island. You get to choose one companion - a person OR a dog.
..what breed of dog are you choosing?

05/02/2024

Welcome, Betty! Betty is spending the month with Full of Beans Dog Training to help build some drive, work on formal obedience, and get exposure to city life. I’m excited to work with this gorgeous girl.

Thank you for trusting me with her, Laura Garvey!

04/22/2024

Handling sensitive dogs.

Azula has many amazing qualities, and one of those is her vigilance. I’ve been slowly and steadily working on her Big Reactions to sounds and movement that she wasn’t expecting (or can’t see the source of). Her typical reaction was to bark (very loud) and run to me. I call it Yelling.

I’ve been so frustrated by it. She shines in so many ways, but the barking? Ugh. It’s embarrassing, I’m a trainer, my dogs are supposed to be better behaved, right?

Not really. Being behind the curtain, it’s not as glamorous as social media wants you to think. Most trainers are in this career because of our personal dogs being Extra.

So she’s my little Extra right now with this.

It’s not a quick fix, when I’m not willing to just correct her and stifle the behavior. But with a smart, well-bred dog, it’s been easier than I’ve believed before. I’m catching her before that bark and timing a calm “good alert” when I hear her growl ahead of the explosion. Because she has such a strong bond with me, she actually looks at me and comes over instead of yelling.

Yesterday we spent a good time in the backyard in the early evening sun. She alerted once but otherwise enjoyed chewing sticks while neighbors opened and closed doors beyond the fence.

Just now, she saw a person outside delivering a package, and only growled, then jumped over to the couch when I praised the alert.

I’m still tense, I still need work. But she’s teaching me to trust her and myself more.

04/05/2024

Found this going through old folders, I don't know who to credit. But it is amazing 🤌

04/01/2024

April 1st is upon us, and TikTok and other platforms are rife with "funny challenges," pranks, and a lot of confused animals. So here's your annual reminder that April 1st is JUST a day for them. They don't understand "this is a day for pranks." They also don't have the mental capacity to understand human pranks, or that "it's all in good fun."

What can pranking your animal do?

It can damage their trust in you (especially if the animal is new to you and you haven't established that relationship strength yet).
It can undermine the work you've been doing to rehabilitate their anxiety.
It can create new triggers.

So if you're scrolling through TikTok and see the "disappearing person under a sheet" trick, or anything else that on the surface seems hilarious - please understand it as entertainment, and don't try it yourself. Especially if you're still settling your new furry family member into your home!

Go forth, have fun with friends and family, and as always - remember to be kind to one another.

03/03/2024

Who else doesn't like online dog training courses? ✋ Yeah? Me, too!

Why do I not like them?

❌ “Private group” promises, where the instructor ends up only talking to their “favorites,” if at all.
❌ “Exclusive content” that…really…has no organization or reason, where it’s impossible to find the answers that I personally need right now.
❌ “Exclusive Q&A” where it’s just questions you send in and the instructor answers without a back-and-forth conversation.

So...why did I go ahead and create one? WELL! I can't guarantee you will cure your frustrations with your dogs overnight, but I can guarantee that this membership program looks different than 99% of others out there. And here's how:

🎉 I’ve taken the time to talk to people like you, who are feeling absolutely overwhelmed with their dogs - so I will be focusing on challenges that are important to you.
🎉 With my background in user experience design and psychology, I am confident in laying out content in a way that is organic, easy to navigate, and will make absolute sense. The platform I chose I’ve already tested with my long-form behavior modification program, and I love the feedback I’m getting for it!
🎉 Group components are not about cliques, “favorites,” or making people feel left out. I want to get to know you - your dogs’ names, your fears, your frustrations. Group calls are actually going to give you space to ask questions, have a conversation.

And as an added bonus, if you register as a founding member, you will be able to influence what order the training modules come out in, what questions get addressed, and the future of the program.

Registration is open and spots are filling up for our LAUNCH tomorrow! Link is in the comments!

02/16/2024

One of the rescues that does amazing work across Canada is partnering with me for a free training webinar! They've generously opened it up to the public - so I am sharing for folks who'd like to sign up. Belgian shepherds rescue of Canada / Secours Bergers Belges du Canada helps Belgian Shepherds from coast to coast, and I've been a supporter since I found them.
If you have a BSD, or a big, powerful breed dog that is new to your home, don't miss out on this opportunity! I'll be talking about gottchas specific to these working breeds and how to help them settle in and acclimate to new homes - whether retiring, getting adopted, or being fostered!
Register for a seat at the llnk in the comment!

***Free webinar!!!***
Full of Beans Dog Training owner, Julia Major, is offering this opportunity for our foster and adopter.
Details:
Please join us for a free training webinar on February 24th at 12pm-1pm EST! Hosted by Julia Major from Full of Beans Dog Training, the training will cover how to get a "new to you" dog settled into your home - whether you're a foster, adopter, or looking at adopting in the future. You'll learn a few ways of introducing dogs to a new home, integrating a multi-dog household, and what can be done to tackle reactivity and anxiety. Registration is required to reserve your seat here: https://subscribepage.io/RTDp3l
Julia is a trainer who has been working with rescue dogs, especially high drive, working breeds, for a number of years. Owning two Malinois and training in protection sports, she has unique insight into the breed that helps her diagnose and overcome common behavioral issues. She follows LIMA methodology and approaches training from a compassionate stand point without minimizing the importance of structured training and canine psychology.

01/10/2024

Today, on a group call with my At Home Bootcamp clients, my Malinois, Paradox, decided to try eating a placemat (he wasn’t on it), and then the cat bed. 🤣 No beds were hurt in the making of that group call!

Becoming more genuine and authentic as a person, allows me to laugh about stuff like that without feeling embarrassed. Before, I would have felt so ashamed that my clients - who trust me! - saw one of my dogs behaving like that. I learned in time that it’s not bad for this part of my life to be public! I’m a person, just like you guys. My dogs are naughty, goofy, opinionated, stubborn, all the things - and that’s okay!!

I’m grateful to have such great clients who see me as a person, and who value and contribute to the safe space my program is!

Pic of the culprit! 🤪❤️ (And Azula in the background.)

12/25/2023

However you celebrate, may this season bring you joy and peace! (Don’t worry, the tree survived being introduced to the Malinois 😜)

12/14/2023

It’s beginning to look a lot like — oh heck, nope!!!

For strong pullers, excitable dogs, and overall outdoor shenanigans, you need to start super slow and work on your engagement skills indoors and in your yard before you let the dogs out!

Start with getting your dogs interested in you more than the environment!

Figure out what they enjoy most, use that!

Earn their respect for your calm direction and leadership (not alpha nonsense!!).

Enjoy long fun walks together without worrying about skating around on slippery sidewalks!

12/12/2023

Meet your trainer! Jumping ship from corporate into running a business is huge and scary, and I am so grateful for every one of you who are following along and cheering me on! So I thought - why not introduce myself??

My name is Julia, and you might know me from my fun sport account . I train in French Ring, Mondioring, and IGP (Schutzhund). My main love is powerful sporting and working breeds - Malinois, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermanns, etc., and much like all "serious dog breed trainers," I have a special soft spot ("claiming temporary insanity" LOL) for Papillons and Chihuahuas.

I started dog training professionally around four years ago, with the mentorship of a long-time trainer, and was given a gracious opportunity to learn on the job with Manitoba All Shepherd Rescue A few breaks due to Covid and Life between then and now, and I am fully invested in my business!

This is such an exciting journey and I am so happy that I get to make it with the support and love of a wonderful community!

12/11/2023

What three things ANNOY you about your pooch the most???

12/08/2023

Training tips for your high drive breeds! Featuring Azula and Paradox!

Watch, follow, and discover more trending content.

11/29/2023

What's been going on at FoB lately? I've been pretty heads down, working on some awesome programs to help more dogs and their guardians!

If you've been wanting some quick tips on how to help your canine companions settle in to their new homes, check out the llink in the comments for a handy-dandy guide when slgning up for my mailing list!

07/13/2023

As a tool-agnostic trainer who follows the principles of LIMA (least intrusive, minimally aversive), I strongly advocate for the freedom of tool use. Can you have perfect recall without using e-collars? Sure, until your dog meets aggressive wildlife, or an uncontrolled off-leash dog, or another circumstance that bubbles over the threshold. In those instances, an e-collar can save your dog's life.

Recall is one of three life-saving skills that every dog needs, and this video illustrates beautifully why. E-collar recall is fantastic for pet dogs, and I even use it for my sport dogs as a "safety mechanism" when we're in new places where off-leash dogs are allowed.

If you're interested in learning how to use an e-collar and want some hands-on sessions with your dog, drop me a message!

05/25/2023

What does good socialization look like?

"Socialization" is a term used in dog training and culture, but what does it really mean? To a layperson, socialization means the same thing it does for people - dogs frolicking together, meeting strangers, going to daycare.

But for dogs, that type of socialization can actually be quite harmful, both mentally and physically. Mentally, they are left to figure out social dynamics with complete strangers on their own and that can cause confusion, reactivity, and anxiety. Physically, even if your dog is well behaved, they can meet a dog that isn't - and injuries can and do occur.

It's a wild world out there! Protect your dogs! Think of socialization in terms of "calm exposure to new sights, sounds, and places." Politely refuse people asking to pet your dogs unless you're specifically working on shyness (under the guidance of a trainer). Advocate for your dogs and step in front of them to protect them from oncoming, uncontrolled dogs.

When your dogs are ready for noisy places, take them to dog friendly patios and bring lots of treats.

These two are my Malinois, Paradox (in orange) and Azula (in blue), hanging out at the Little Brown Jug downtown patio for an evening of exposure. Big thank you to the fine folks there for providing such a great place for dogs to hang out!